The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-01-27

shone full on, and tinted with silver the
black hair and head of the cnlprit, and
there came from the forest the loud sharp
crash of rifle, which cut through the air
with an ominous whiz!
One could see the horse turn and sud
denly stop, the rider throw up his arms
in wild despair or pain, and then fall
backward to the ground with thud that
shook the earth and made even the follow
ers of Judge Lynch tremble There was
an instantaneous rush of the mob to
where the body was lying in the road,
and it was picked up and laid upon the
sidewalk for inspection. The inquest was
short, as the fitful light of the lanterns
showed that hole had been made in his
head wide enough to let out Bills wretch
ed life, and the half closed eyes looked
colder and crueler than ever.
"Dead and no mistake, eh ?" was the
eager inquiry, as each constituent Of
Judge Lynch's court examined and as
sured himself that the peoples mandate
had been, perfectly executed. -s.s
And then they dispersed as swiftly and
as tracklessly as flock of birds at the
sound of hunters shot. They dispersed
as if by magic, and left only the sheriff,
his horse, Long Jim and couple of by
standers. The colloquy which follwed
was amusing as we'll as instructive.
Sheriff (s,ill rubbing his head and siz-
ing the bump on the back of it with his
tingers)-Yes, sneak away like a lot Of
thieves ! | know you. See if don't ill
the county Jail with batch of you devils
before long. This is murder in the first
degree, and my evidence will hang some
body. say, Jim, did you hit mep
Long Jim (still caressing his rifle)-
Not yet Georgey.
Sheriff-No; and you'd better not COM
mence, tell yer. You had better sink
away with the rest. This was murder,
and don't you forget it. Bill was entitled
to fair trial and Justice
Long Jim (scornfully)-Fair trial and
justice?
Sheriff-Yes. fair trial and justice, by
Long Jim-Where do you git them
things? Not in your legal circus, old
boy. You kin get lawyers jaw and
Jedge Wagglewaggle. Justice? Nary
justice. Now, Georgey, just close up your
head mean the front of it, Go and get
the coroner, and don't tell what yer don't
know-do you mind?
left Long Jim laying down the law,
and the sheriff listening, and Judge that
the argument used was convincing, tor
the papers a day or two afterward an
nounced the verdict Of the coroner as
"justifiable homicide, while escaping from
the sheriff and his posse"
AS passed the spot where the victim
was lying, the pitiable pathos of the silent
figure was increased by the woman that
bent above it, and sobbed "Oh, Bill"
and kissed the knotted fingers that had
often struck her in anger. But human
justice has this trait with the divine, that
it makes the innocent suffer for the sins of
the guilty
mis- Is the onIy tIIlre L ever n.rt sunSe
Lynch, and | must admit tn It the meet
ing, although short, was impressive, and
| never see one Of those judges which po-
litical conventions furnish shutting and
trifiing with the scales fjustice-slipping
his fingers down upon the beam-but
fancy | see behind him the court pageant
of that other itinerant judge-with his
rope and unerring rife-I mean Judge
Lynoh.-He"ry Hooper, IN Cincinnati
Commercial Gazette.